Viswanatha Iyer, J.

1. The two petitioners are the hereditary trustees of the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayoor, the first petitioner being the managing trustee and the second petitioner the co-trustee. They challenge the validity of some of the provisions of the Guruvayoor Devaswom Act (Act 6 of 1971, which was preceded by the Guruvayoor Devaswom Ordinance (Ordinance No. 12) of 1971. The main attack is directed against clauses (a), (b) and (g) of S.10 and clause (b) of S 27 (2); and the attack is that these provisions offend clauses (b) and (d) of Art.26 of the Constitution. (We may point out that there are other pleas also raised in the petition, but Shri V. K. K. Menon, the counsel of the petitioners, has stated before us that the attack is confined to these clauses alone.)

2. Now, the more important provisions of the Act may be noted. S.2 is the definition section; and S.3, which we may have to consider specifically, vests the administration, control and management of the Devaswom, which is defined to mean the Temple, the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayoor, including its properties and endowments and the subordinate temples attached to it, in the Guruvayoor Devaswom Ma